Languages

Ojo: Alli's an inspiration as I look to progress

Liverpool youngster Sheyi Ojo has told FourFourTwo that he is hoping to emulate Dele Alli and take his career to the next level.

Published

3 August 2016

Following loan spells in the Championship with Wigan and Wolves, the 19-year-old broke into the Reds’ first team at the turn of the year, scoring on his second appearance against Exeter City in an FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield.

The England Under-19 international went on to make eight Premier League outings for Jurgen Klopp's side as the campaign drew to a close, and recently netted in Liverpool’s pre-season defeat to Roma in the United States.

Ojo only has to look at former MK Dons youth team colleague Dele Alli to see what can be achieved in a short space of time. The attacking midfielder joined Spurs for £5 million last summer and ended his maiden season at White Hart Lane with 10 league goals and a starting spot for England at Euro 2016.

And the Anfield prodigy says he regards his Tottenham counterpart as an inspiration, as should all young players up and down the country.

The step up he’s made to the Premier League and the international stage is an inspiration for all young players. I’d like to follow in those footsteps

Speaking exclusively in the September 2016 issue of FourFourTwo magazine, Ojo says: “Dele’s with the England squad and doing well for Tottenham, and back then [at MK Dons] he had the same swagger he has now. The step up he’s made to the Premier League and the international stage is an inspiration for all young players. I’d like to follow in those footsteps.

“Last season was a memorable season for me. It went really well and I learned a lot as a player and a person. I’m looking to use that this season. I’m not where I want to be yet. There are a lot of things that I need to do and a lot of hard work needs to be put in for me to get there. My main aim is to break into the first team on a full-time basis, and keep progressing.”

Read more from Sheyi Ojo in the September 2016 issue of FourFourTwo, out now. Accompanied by our 100-page Season Preview - rating 128 teams - the magazine features the 81 things we want from the new season, including interviews with Demarai Gray, Javi Martinez, Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Brendan Galloway, Kelechi Iheancaho, Glenn Murray, David Wagner, Michail Antonio and Alex Iwobi. Plus, we go One-on-One with Nemanja Vidic, meet footballers' yes men - the player liaison officers who cater to the stars’ whims - and the Wiki geeks - the men who make it possible for fans to use Wikipedia for their football info - as well as asking do team talks matter? The answer might surprise you. Go get it, then subscribe!